Lighthouse
by EmJay92
Summary: Nine months after Klaus leaves for NOLA, Caroline begins to notice strange changes in herself that cannot be explained. Clutching his departing gift to her in hand, Caroline is on a mission for answers, starting with the only person she knows that may have a clue.
1. The parting gift

**A/N: Hello fanficdom! This is my very first fanfic, so any input good/bad would be much appreciated. The second chapter will skip forward about 9 months in time... any guesses why? Now I'm sure we're all still reeling from the spanner that was thrown into the klaroline works, but here's a little something to tide you over till October.**

**Much love, MJ.**

Caroline had always been one to make a big entrance and today was certainly no exception. As she nervously runs a thumb over her sparkling diamond stud earrings, Caroline dares to take a peek at the crowd before her. Taking a deep, calming breath, she straightens her back and turns to face her squad.

"Right girls, heads up and smiles on. And Jenny you had better watch that dismount, you looked like a fish out of water last time." Caroline raises an eyebrow and the petite brunette looks down in shame.

Caroline is a changed woman, but that doesn't stop her inner bitch from surfacing every now and then.

"I don't know about you guys but I want that trophy- no I need that trophy. It's my last shot, we can do this!" She says with determination. "Let's do it, hands in everyone." Pale limbs make their way into the centre of the huddle. "Mystics!" they chant in unison.

As the announcers voice booms out across the complex Caroline confidently leads the girls out on to the floor. Before the routine begins she can't help but notice a certain blonde head sticking out among the crowd._ Klaus..._ she struggles to hide the frustration from her face. Though upon further inspection she can't help but laugh at the sight. He doesn't exactly have deadly hybrid written across his forehead, but he may as well, his physical presence has the same affect.

It's like spotting a lobster among a buffet of cheap club sandwiches and burnt pastries. He practically oozes wealth, power and superiority. Something that certainly doesn't fit amongst the middle-class suburbanites that make the majority of the crowd.

A smug look appears on his face once he notices her eyes on him. "_Dammit_," she mutters, hating having given him the satisfaction of even an acknowledgement. She tries, in vain, to clear all thoughts of the sexy... no... _psychotic_ hybrid from her mind, to focus on the task at hand.

Because what Caroline wants, Caroline always gets.

At the end of the day Caroline leaves the stadium with a ridiculously oversized trophy and a renewed sense of accomplishment. The other cheerleaders had already come to offer their mumbled congratulations and like the gracious captain she is, she spent a good hour soaking up the praise. The stadium was mostly deserted now, spare a few members of staff and the cleaning crew.

As the blonde makes her way out to her car, with the oversized trophy in hand, she looks up to find the very man she should be avoiding. "Klaus," she says uncertainly.

"Caroline love, congratulations." He gestures to the trophy. He pushes himself off the car and gives her an award winning grin. "I never doubted you for a second by the way," he leans in towards her close enough that she can feel his warm breath on her face.

"If only I cared what you thought Klaus. I might even be flattered," she says as she moves pasts him to put the trophy in the back of the car.

A strong hand stops her before she can shut the door, effectively trapping her between broad, strong shoulders and the car.

"Well perhaps you'll be please to know I'm leaving then," Klaus says through gritted teeth.

Shock crosses Caroline's face so quickly she's sure he couldn't have noticed. "Well good riddance! Why are you here telling me about it," she snorts.

"I had wanted you to come with me," his face softens. He cuts her off before she's able to retort with one of her cut throat one-liners. "But I know what your reaction to that might be," he brushes a stray strand of shining blonde hair behind her ear, hiding his surprise at the fact she does not shy away. "So I thought you'd settle for a quick goodbye."

"Where are you going?" The question falls out of Caroline's mouth involuntarily.

"New Orleans," he smiles, revelling in that fact that she has actually taken an interest.

"Are you coming back?" She says, keeping her poker-face in place.

"Perhaps one day. We're immortal Caroline, time is not our enemy." He leans down so that his lips gently brush her ear. "We have forever. Forever to live and forever to love," he whispers. He places a light kiss on her cheek as he pulls something from his pocket. "A parting gift," he says, as he places the small ruby coloured box in her hand.

Looking down at the beautiful box in her hand Caroline takes a steadying breath. "I can't take this Klaus," she looks up only to discover she's standing all alone in the dark car park. She looks around, knowing the effort is useless.

"Crazy-ass hybrid," she mutters under her breath as she speeds away putting all thoughts of gentle lips on her cheek from her mind.


	2. A light to guide the way

**A/N: Hello there! Now that I have a better idea of where exactly I want this story to go, I thought I better let you all in on the loop. So chapter 1 was set during late season 4, I thought it was important to slightly tweek the departing scene between our wayward lovers in order for it to tie in better with my plot. From now on this fic is set 9 months after Klaus' departure to NOLA, Caroline's at college and all seems well. This is how their reunion plays out in my imagination, with a few important plot twists of course! I have left out all mentions of Tyler and for now, it's going to remain that way. Apologies if this seems abrupt but I'm sure since you're here reading this, you don't see them as a viable option in the long run either. Plus a lot can happen in 9 months [insert suggestive winking face] .There's just not enough ****_sparkle_****. I still haven't quite recovered since they announced the spin off series, but I hope this eases some of your pain, as it has mine. Thank you for taking the time to read it, enjoy :)**

**Much love, MJ**

Chapter 2

**_Exactly eight months, one week and two days later..._**

The first time Caroline noticed the shimmering strip of gold, she was ungracefully bent over in the bathtub searching for the very last bobby pin in the house. A small sparkle had caught her eye in the mirror, just long enough to draw her attention to a small patch of skin on the side of her right hip. When she lifted her shirt up, she could clearly see a thin, squiggly line of glittering gold. No wider than the very bobby pin she was looking for and no longer than a small coin, she ogled the mark in disbelief. She rubbed at the colour, even resorting to nail polish remover to get the unknown substance off. After an unsatisfying hour was spent trying to get rid of the sparkling squiggle, Caroline gave up the mission fearing she would be late for class. As her head filled with thoughts of all the assignments her first year lecturers had handed out, she forgot all about the golden mark as if she had never noticed it in the first place.

Now two weeks later, Caroline Forbes stands before her bathroom mirror with her iPod up as loud as it can go. It had become a requirement over the last few months, ever since Matt and Rebekah had picked things up again. Matt was an exceptional roommate. He was neat, clean, knew how to cook and between work and college he was hardly home. But everyone needed somewhere to sleep and Matt and Rebekah had chosen to 'sleep' at their apartment for the last three months. It wasn't that Caroline wasn't happy for the two, but thanks to her heightened vampire hearing and Rebekah's boisterous nature, she hadn't slept properly in months.

At first Caroline was opposed to the match. She never understood why he or Stefan tolerated the girl. She was every bit as bitchy as Caroline herself, but with none of the heart to soften the blow. It was hard to admit, but after spending most of her time with Matt these days, Rebekah was becoming more and more bearable by the day.

"Oh, give it a break guys, you've been at it all night," Caroline sighs as she runs a brush through her bright blonde locks.

"Sorry Care!" she hears Rebekah's voice through the walls.

Most of the time, the sensitive hearing that came along with the un-dead gig was a plus, but around the home, it was definitely a downfall.

Just as Caroline is about to step in the shower she notices the shimmering gold squiggle still painted on her right hip. A sharp intake of breath passes her lips as she assess the mark, which has nearly tripled in size since the last time she bothered to look.

"What is this?" she says under her breath as she runs a finger over the glittering line.

Light bursts from the golden squiggle as she makes contact, taking Caroline by surprise and causing her to slip on the slick tiles. The sparkling light radiating from her hip fills the room with a soft glow.

"Beautiful," she mouths in awe while on the floor, admiring her glittering, glowing hip.

"Everything ok in there Care?" she hears a knock on the door. "Bekah said she heard you fall," Matt's voice is enough to break her from her reverie. She places a hand over her hip instinctively, covering the light.

"I'm fine thanks. Just slipped," she says hoping Matt doesn't realise the unlikelihood of her vampire reflexes normally allowing such a thing.

"Ok, well hurry up, I'm making bacon and choc chip pancakes!" Matt says happily and she listens to his footsteps as he makes his way into the kitchen.

After taking a very well-lit shower, Caroline makes her way to her wardrobe, with a towel wrapped very firmly around her hips. Figuring a pair of jeans and a long shirt are her best chances of hiding the 100 watt secret, she shimmies on the outfit and stands in front of the mirror. The material isn't enough to completely cover the light and she can see the glow through her black skinny leg jeans and navy blue top. Sighing loudly she sits down at her dresser table and pulls out her phone.

_Have to cancel lunch today, promise I'll fill you in tomorrow _

_xx_

She hits send, feeling guilty for cancelling on Elena for the second time. There'd be no way she could go out like this though she muses, looking down at the now dull glow coming from her hip. No, today would have to be spent figuring out what the hell this thing is and how to get rid of it. Having become accustom to these sorts of strange situations over the years, Caroline went about her morning routine as if it were just a normal day. After curling her hair to perfection and applying just enough makeup to look good without trying, she pops the box on her jewellery case. Instead of grabbing something from her usual array of delicate silver bracelets and rings, she finds her hands wandering toward the embellished ruby box.

"Oh, what the hell," she breaths, pulling the box out and placing it in front of her.

Opening the box gently she finds a beautiful gold and sapphire necklace. About nine months after he had given it to her, Caroline still can't hide her shock at the beauty of it. The small, dark sapphire oval was surrounded by the most beautiful gold she had ever seen. The bright gold laced elegantly around the dark stone, holding flecks of what looked like pearl around the edges. Light and dark woven together, she mused.

Placing the necklace over her chest for the first time, Caroline secured the latch and looked down to admire the sight. The first thing she noticed was the atmosphere change in the room. She looked down at her hip to find the dull glow that had bathed her had completely vanished. Pulling up her shirt, she was oddly relieved to see that the glittering golden line was still there, but there was no more blinding light.

After taking the necklace off and on a number of times, Caroline had come to the conclusion that this was all one certain hybrids fault. Each time the necklace went on, the light stopped. As soon as the pendant left her skin, the light came back. Frustrated, she fastens the necklace and pulls out her phone again, sifting through her contacts for that number she knows she doesn't want to call. After two rings, her heart stills at the sound of his familiar voice.

"Caroline, love, what a surprise."

**A/N: Don't worry lovelies, there'll be plenty of klaroline next time around.**

**Until then, MJ**


	3. Afraid to Fly

**A/N: Now that the ball's rolling on the story, you can expect updates every 2-3 days. Again, thanks for reading, let me know what you think!**

**Much love, MJ**

_Picking up where we left off..._

"Caroline, love, what a surprise."

Taking a second to compose herself, Caroline prepares to attack.

"A surprise indeed," she snaps back. "Care to tell me what the hell is going on, Klaus?"

"Sweetheart I have no idea what you're talking about."

Caroline snorts ungracefully into the phone. "Oh, I bet. Look Klaus, freshman year is killing me and I just don't have time to deal with random marks, magical necklaces or beams of light right now!"

"Beams of light? What's going on?" he demands, his tone of voice shifting from amusement to concern in a matter of seconds.

"You know what's going on, you gave me the necklace!" Caroline shouts into the phone.

"The necklace?" He pauses. "Oh, you mean my departing gift that you simply couldn't take? Are you wearing it now, love? I thought you'd like it," he says smugly.

"That has nothing to do with the matter Klaus! What did you do to me?" she shouts into the phone again, frustration coursing through her.

"Caroline, I assure you I haven't done anything. Tell me what's going on right now." He demands.

Just as she's about to reply, Caroline hears a female voice in the back ground on his end. She can barely make the words out, vampire hearing and all.

_"Klaus... he won't sleep... only responds to you... just take him!" _

"Caroline, sweetheart I have to go, I'll ring you back in five minutes," he says, regret lacing his tone.

"Whatever," she mumbles hitting 'end call'.

Making her way out to the kitchen to devour some of Matt's amazing bacon and choc chip pancakes Caroline spots Matt and Rebekah sharing an intimate moment or two right on her kitchen counter top.

"Jesus, guys, other people live here!" she snaps, still touchy after having Klaus dig so deep under her skin.

"Sorry Care-bear," Matt grins widely.

Caroline looks over at the table to find the biggest stack of pancakes she's ever seen. As they each take a seat at the table she can't help but smile at the goofy look on Matt's face. She may not be Rebekah's number one fan, but how can you not like someone who makes one of your best friends so happy. And happy is what Matt deserves after surviving the mess that was his teen years.

Unable to swallow her curiosity, Caroline decides to take the opportunity to do a little recon. Not knowing how to subtly broach the subject, she decides to take the straight forward approach, as usual.

"Rebekah, what's Klaus is doing in New Orleans?" She watches the blonde closely in the hope she's caught her off guard.

After a second passes, Rebekah slowly swallows her chunk of pancake. "He's reclaiming territory. He wants to take back New Orleans," she replies simply.

Seems simple enough, she muses. A perfectly shallow explanation that seems to fit with the power-hungry hybrid everyone knows. Deciding to up the ante, Caroline digs a little further.

"I was thinking about going to visit him, you know, for old times' sake." She says keeping her eyes locked on Rebekah's face.

"Oh," the blonde says looking down at her food nervously. "That's probably not... the best idea." She leaves the sentence hanging in there air. "It's really dangerous. You know Klaus, always making enemies," she says quickly shoving another piece of pancake in her mouth.

"Maybe another time then," Caroline smiles at the deceiving original vampire.

Feeling her phone vibrate in her pocket, Caroline glances at the screen only to see the topic of conversation's name scrawled across the top. Hitting decline she slides the phone back into her pocket, already thinking about her next move.

As Caroline boarded flight FJ234 direct to New Orleans with nothing but a carry on, she couldn't get rid of the giddy feeling in her stomach. Spontaneity had never been one of her strong points and it was one of the main things Caroline had decided to work on upon leaving high school.

Though remaining true to herself at the same time, she had already booked and paid for the accommodation for the weekend. As well as reserving herself a spot on one of the most extensive tours of NOLA possible, feeling obligated to put an end to her travel inexperience starting now.

Three days had passed since she had discovered that her hip doubled as a super powerful flashlight and Caroline was itching to get to the bottom of it. Taking a subtle peek at her hip she didn't exactly hate the fact that the mark had grown again. Now the glittering gold stretched from the top of her thigh up near her stomach. The curvy line had also grown in thickness, making the mark more noticeable than ever. Tucking the sapphire pendant underneath her white lace shirt, Caroline made herself comfortable, thankful that no one was sat on either side of her.

As the plane left the tarmac, Caroline made a completely new discovery about herself; she was _deathly _scared of flying.

Ten ruined nails later, Caroline released her grip on both arm rests and unsteadily made her way off the plane. Swallowing the uneasiness in her stomach she dragged her feet all the way through the strange airport following the stream of people heading toward the exit.

Stepping outside into the warm afternoon air, she felt a million times better already. Searching for a taxi rank, Caroline's eyes spotted a very ostentatious looking limousine. Rolling her eyes and thinking to herself that that is the exact type of ridiculously expensive vehicle one certain hybrid would ride in, Caroline was mildly shocked to see the man in question step out the door and up the curb. Dressed in a white Henley and form fitting dark jeans, Caroline had to force her eyes away from his perfectly sculpted body.

"What are you doing here?" she demands.

"I could ask you the same thing love. You're in my city after all," he gives her one of his trademark one side grins. She would deny it if you ever asked her, but that grin could stop a girls heart.

Rolling her blue eyes again, Caroline heads off in the opposite direction to find a taxi. After only a couple steps, she's stopped short when a broad chest blocks the way.

"Where are you going sweetheart?" Klaus says, raising an amused eyebrow.

"I'm going to find a taxi and check into my hotel, if that's ok with you," she huffs.

"Now don't tell me you came all the way here to check into some cheap hotel and see the sights," he says sarcastically.

Refusing to allow him under her skin again she takes a deep, calming breath for good measure. "No, I came to speak to you in person, about something... important."

Seizing the moment, Klaus leans down and snatches her bag from her hands. "Well then I must insist you stay at the Mikaelson Manor," he says already retreating to his limousine.

"Hey give me that back," she says, but her request falls on deaf ears as Klaus throws her bag in the back. "I've already booked a place in the French Quarter," she complains.

"I know love. The money should be back in your account by the end of the day. Come along then," he holds the door open for her expectantly.

Mouth open, Caroline looks between the luxurious limousine and the most powerful creature on the planet. _This can't be happening, _she thinks_. Does he want me to stay at his house? To stay... with him? _

Confused by the strange feeling in her stomach at the thought, she stills as she begins to process what he's said.

"What do you mean, _you know_? How did you even know I was coming?" she eyes him sceptically.

"Rebekah called. She is actually useful sometimes," he muses aloud.

"That sneaky bitch!" The words escape her lips before she can stop them. "Seriously, is there no privacy when living with another vampire?"

"No, and especially not with Rebekah love. She overheard you making arrangements last night," he gives her a genuine smile and Caroline can't help but appreciate the rare display on his face.

"I can't stay with you Klaus," she says eventually.

"I have many properties Caroline. I won't be staying _with_ you. I just don't want you staying somewhere that is unworthy of you." he says, eyes searching her face for something, for what, she has no idea.

As the heat reaches her face Caroline lets out a quiet sigh and steps into the back of the limousine wondering exactly what she's gotten herself into this time.

**A/N: I'm used to writing solely in first person so this style is very new to me. I know my tenses are off at times, so I'm currently looking for a beta to kick my butt into gear (if you know of anyone, please suggest!). I'm also new to fanfic in general and I'm learning as I go, so please bear with me. **

**Until next time, MJ**


	4. Never trust a smiling wolf

**A/N: Hello all! I just wanted to say thank you for the reviews, it really makes me think about the plot and how you as the readers would react to it. I've crossed out, reworded and reworked many of the chapters based on some of the feedback you have give me. I know many of you are already anticipating the arrival of Haley and baby, and I promise it will be worth the wait. Thanks for reading and as always, let me know what you think!**

**Much love, MJ**

The Mikaelson Manor was a thing of beauty, something surely the gods had hand sculpted. As Caroline ran a hand over the beautifully carved wooden banister, she had to hide the grin threatening to make an appearance.

Located just outside of the French Quarter, the elaborate three-story home suited Caroline down to a tee. With enough quiet and privacy inside and an enchanting view from the balcony, Caroline was able to experience the humid bustle that was New Orleans from the comfort of a plush reading chair.

Walking over to the ledge, she leans down onto her elbows to take in the sight.

"Is it to your liking sweetheart?" Klaus says, joining her out on the balcony.

After dropping her bags in the foyer, the first thing Caroline had done upon entering the house, was head straight up to the third-story balcony.

"It's amazing," she breathes, admiring the lights and the crowds of the evening.

"Perhaps you'll let me take you to dinner? I've already cancelled you're tour, I'll be showing you around afterwards," he says confidently, moving so that he's less than a breath away from her.

"Getting a bit ahead of yourself aren't you?" she snorts. "Seriously Klaus, you can't just do stuff like that without asking me."

"Well who better to show you around than the man who built it all," he offers her another one-sided grin and she forces herself to look away, afraid of what she would do if she had to look a second longer.

"Klaus, can I trust you?" she says quickly, changing the subject.

Caroline watches the most powerful creature on the planet as he frowns, letting out a long dejected breath. "I've never pretended to be anything but what I am Caroline. But I promise that I would never knowingly do you any harm. I will do everything in my power to make sure no one ever hurts you," he says, jaw tensed.

"Then do you really not know what's been happening to me lately? This necklace, it has something to do with it," she says taking it out from under her lace shirt. "Are you sure there's nothing you aren't telling me Klaus?"

Another genuine smile appears on his face as he sees the pendant between her finger tips. "It looks beautiful on you love," he breaths. "That necklace has been in my family for nearly a thousand years. Around the time my family was going through the transition, people had begun to notice something was a little... _off_ with us. Soon after the transition, while we were all just new-born's, we struggled to keep the thirst under wraps. It's safe to say it  
wasn't long until the whole village knew about us. Many brave men had tried and failed to kill us, and eventually the town was so afraid that the attempts on our lives stopped." Moving away from her and looking out over the balcony, he continued. "There was only one who had ever gotten close. A young girl, no more than 17 at the time, had made it into a house full of vampires without even being detected. Elijah and I were gone at the time and we came back to find a wooden stake lodged in each family members heart. Not many knew about the white oak tree then, and because of this, they lived. Needless to say we found the girl and killed her and what was left of her family. I ripped that necklace from her neck right after I ripped her heart out," he says looking straight into her eyes.

"You gave me your victim's necklace," she whispers, swallowing the bile rising in her throat.

"No I gave you a warrior's necklace. That teenage girl was the strongest woman I'd ever met, only second to you, love. Do you know what she said to me the moment before I tore her heart form her chest?" he raises an eyebrow at her. "She spit in my face and told me she'd be ready for me when I joined her in hell. At no point, did she show any weakness. She wasn't scared. She didn't beg for mercy like the others, she accepted her death head held high. I've been holding onto that necklace ever since. When I met you and saw the same resilience in your eyes, I knew you were meant to have it."

Looking down at the beautiful sapphire pendant, Caroline shed a silent tear for the brave girl who gave her life to protect her village.

"I don't know whether to be flattered or disgusted," she says honestly. "I think it's both. But I'm glad that you told me the truth. Is that all you know about it?"

"Yes love, I believe it's your turn now," he looks at her expectantly.

"I have something to show you. But... you can't... I-I want to trust you. Just don't tell anyone. You're the only person I could think of that would know what's going on," she says uncertainly.

"Well you've certainly peaked my interest, love. You have my word, I'll help you in any way I can," he says, never once breaking eye contact.

"Ok," she breaths, leading him back inside, straight into her temporary bedroom.

Taking a deep breath, she turns side-on and lifts her shirt, revealing the glittering secret. Hearing a sharp intake of breath she looks over to find Klaus staring at her mouth-open. He moves slowly toward her, one arm outstretched as if he would scare her away with any sudden movement. Impatiently, she grabs his hand and pulls him toward her, allowing his fingers to lightly trace the mark.

"I've never seen anything like it," he breaths, fingertips still lightly touching her skin.

"Oh but wait. There's more," in one swift movement she unlatches the necklace, letting it fall to the ground. As she does, the amazing light bursts from her hip bathing Klaus from top to bottom. Mouth open, he looks around the room as it's filled with Caroline's light. Using his fingertips again, he traces the line, as it covers him with a glittering glow.

"It's warm," he remarks, obviously still in shock.

Bending down to pick up the necklace, she secures it around her neck again and the light disappears as if it were never there.

"In all my years, I've never seen anything like it," Klaus says again after a second passes. "Have you noticed any other side effects? Does it hurt you at all?" he says concern evident on his face.

"I was hoping you wouldn't say that," she says tiredly, taking a seat on her luxurious bed. "No not at all, but it keeps getting bigger. It's grown a lot over the last few days."

With a furrowed brow, he sits down next to her. "I know some of the best witches in the world Caroline, I promise you we'll get to the bottom of it," he says with resolve. "But for now, how about dinner? There's a dress hanging for you in the cupboard. I'll be back to get you in an hour."

Without giving her a chance to turn him down, he disappears into thin air, leaving her alone to her thoughts.


	5. The calm before the storm

**A/N: Hi guys! Here it is, another chapter for your enjoyment. This one's all about the build up. Let me know what you think!**

**Much love, MJ**

Sliding the last gold clip into place, Caroline stepped back from the mirror to admire her masterpiece. With her blonde locks swept elegantly to the side, it was the perfect mix of sweet and sultry.

As she ran her hands over the satin bodice, Caroline was yet again impressed by Klaus' exceptional taste in fashion. The dress she had found in her temporary cupboard was something dreams were made of.

The cream coloured satin dress had a sweetheart cut, trimmed at the top with delicate lace that covered her shoulders to form a stylish capped sleeve. Narrow at the waist, the skirt of the dress billowed out to knee length, making it the perfect dress for dancing in.

Taking a moment to feed her inner child, Caroline twirled around in the dress, watching the beautiful fabric as it fanned out around her.

"Glad to see you like it." She hears a deep voice from behind her.

Stopping mid-twirl, she turns to find one finely dressed hybrid suppressing a grin.

"Jesus! Have you ever heard of knocking?" she says, crossing her arms across her chest in an attempt to hide her chagrin.

"Now why would I knock, love? It's my house after all," he says, making his way into her room.

"I could have been naked!" she exclaims.

"I would be so lucky," he laughs. "And you look ravishing, as always Caroline," he grins, giving her a small nod of the head.

Caroline had to admit the same went for him as well. Dressed in a casual black suit jacket and a dark grey button up, Caroline had to physically force her eyes away from his form fitting black jeans. She had noticed how perfect his backside was in a good pair of jeans, one too many times for her liking.

Offering a small smile in return, she grabs her clutch from the bed and slides her phone inside. Opting for a pair of flats, instead of heels, she looks down to admire the finished product. "So where to tonight?"

"Just a few of my favourite places," he holds his arm out for her and without complaint she slides her arm over his and they make their way out together.

Having always thought of Klaus as –let's face it, there's no other word for it –a snob, Caroline was pleasantly surprised to discover that 'dinner' was a low key event.

The first place he had taken her was the notorious Bourbon Street. From there, they had walked blocks, stopping every so often at a stall or shop that had caught her eye. The atmosphere in NOLA was so different to the small town vibe of Mystic Falls, the place had mesmerised Caroline instantly. Feeling very relieved at her decision to wear flats, Caroline breathed a sigh of relief when they eventually stopped for dinner at a cosy restaurant close to the Mikaelson Manor.

The restaurant was beautifully decorated. Rich materials in dark colours lined the walls and ceilings, and instead of your regular table and chair set, each chair was completely individual. From an old rocking chair, through to a prehistoric looking club chair, Caroline had to admire the room from a stylistic point of view. It was quirky and classy all at once.

As they made there way through, Caroline's eyes landed on a very sturdy looking woman who was busy behind the bar at the back of the restaurant. Upon seeing them approach, she grinned widely, making her way towards them.

"Niklaus, it's been too long," she smiles and in a move that shocked Caroline to the core, the woman reached up and planted two big wet kisses on either side of Klaus' face while pinching his cheeks between her fingers. "And who is this pretty young girl you've bought with you?" she says looking right at the blonde.

"Where are my manners?" Klaus says, all smiles. "This beautiful woman here is Caroline Forbes, Caroline, this is one of my oldest friends, Daari."

"It's lovely to meet you, Daari," Caroline smiles, extending a hand out towards her.

"Come here girl," she says, grabbing Caroline by the shoulders and bringing her in for a hug so fierce she's sure her bones would break if she were still human.

"I've got the perfect spot for you two," she says grabbing them both by the hand, as she leads the way.

The spot was indeed 'perfect' and three courses later Caroline was inclined to say it was the best meal she had ever had. Right next to the fire, they had spent a comfortable hour talking and sharing exquisite food.

Generally it was Caroline's rule of thumb to only order a salad on date. Not only did it lower the chances of being caught with food in your teeth, but she also had never been fully comfortable eating around the opposite sex. Again, this was one of the many things Caroline was determined to work on.

But tonight, she had had no reservations and the thought didn't even cross her mind until they were back outside in the warm evening air. Perhaps it was because she didn't care what the pesky hybrid thought of her. Or maybe it was because he had a way of making her feel so completely comfortable in her own skin, and so completely safe, something Caroline hadn't felt in years.

As they walked side by side down the steamy streets of New Orleans, Caroline felt rough skin graze the back of her hand. Looking across, she sees his hand hovering questioningly above hers, silently asking for permission. Looking up into his eyes, she swallows nervously as she entwines her fingers with his.

They had stopped to listen to a couple buskers, who were way too good to be performing on the streets, according to Caroline. Stopping in front of one of the many artists armed with a brush and easel, she had gone a brilliant shade of red after being told that the two made an 'adorable' couple. Klaus had scoffed at the use of the word adorable at first, though she couldn't help but notice the sincere smile that spread across afterwards.

"There's a couple more spots that I want to show you," he leans down to whisper in her ear.

Without another word, he leads her down an alleyway and out onto a narrow street. Pulling a key from his pocket, he leads her up the stairs of a dilapidated apartment complex. Unlocking the door, they make their way up five flights of stairs, to the rooftop of the building.

Walking over to the ledge, Caroline's eyes widen at the sight.

"You can see it all from this rooftop," he says, appearing next to her. "This was one of the first places I discovered when I came here, it's been a favourite of mine ever since."

Walking over to the opposing wall, Klaus runs a palm over a patch of bricks. Curious, Caroline's eyes follow him as he removes a loose brick from the wall, uncovering a wooden box.

Coming back over to join her, he opens the box, revealing several folded pieces of paper.

"Each time I come up here, the scenery gets more and more beautiful," he says handing her the bottom piece.

Unfolding the paper she finds the same landscape before her eyes only vastly different. Many of the buildings she sees today, are gone from the page. Some are the same, some have changed with the times, but the view is equally as gorgeous.

"You're so talented," she says grabbing the other papers out of his hand and flicking through them. Like a portal through time, each picture marked a different stage of development in the city. Finally appreciating the fact that Klaus had had a hand in building this magical city, Caroline studied each page with a keen eye.

Hearing the faint scratch of pencil on paper, she over her shoulder to find Klaus leant over a sheet, pencil moving furiously in his hand.

"Um, what are you doing?" she huffs.

"I draw the view every time I come here. And it's outdone itself this year, love," he says eyes flicking to hers briefly, before returning to the page.

Placing the drawings back inside the wooden box, she makes her way over to him, trying to sneak a peak at his work.

"Now, now, patience is a virtue," he teases, moving the paper out of her line of sight.

"Let me see it," she giggles, making a grab for the paper.

"Ok," he says, still holding it away from her. "Keep it, as a souvenir I suppose," he gives her another one-sided grin as he hands her the page.

Tucking the paper inside her clutch, she looks up at him, "Thank you, Klaus, tonight has been perfect," she couldn't deny it. Klaus was romantic in ways most girls couldn't even dream of. It had truly been one of the best nights she had ever had.

Just as she's plucking up the courage to place a kiss on his cheek, they're interrupted by the sound of reality crashing down around them.

Grabbing the ringing phone from his pocket, he answers.

"What?" he demands.

Only able to make out a frantic female voice on the other end, Caroline strains to make the words out.

_"...don't know what to do... just get home now, I need you!"_

"I'll be there in a minute," he says, hanging up. "I'm sorry love, we'll have to cut this short, I have business that needs tending to." Watching his blonde head already heading down the stairs, Caroline's left reeling after her perfect date had ended so perfectly wrong.

Raising a suspicious eyebrow, she follows him all the way back to the Mikaelson Manor.

The walk home gives Caroline's mind plenty of time to jump to conclusions. _Is he planning some new diabolical scheme? Who was that woman? What did she mean get '__**home'**__ now? Does he have a girlfriend? Does he __**live**__ with her? No... Klaus doesn't do girlfriends... does he? __**Who was that woman!?**_The questions run through her mind over and over.

_He's hiding something from me. _She can't get rid of the thought.

_He's lying to me. _Tears burn her eyes as her mind comes to terms with the most likely conclusion. _How could you trust him, Caroline you idiot?_

It's not until they reach the front door that he finally talks. "I'm sorry love, I had wanted to take you dancing tonight," he says, looking down.

"Whatever Klaus," she says making a grab for the door.

"Caroline, wait," he says, reaching out for her. Opening his mouth to say something, he seems to think better of the idea and closes his mouth again. "Look, I'll be back tomorrow, there's a few witches I want to introduce you to. If anyone would know about your new mark, its them."

"Goodnight Klaus," she says, closing the door in his face before the tears start.


	6. A world awash in grey

**A/N: Hey guys, this one was difficult to write. I wanted to make this fic as 'realistic' as possible. I think the biggest trouble with klaroline fics is creating a universe in which Caroline is able to move past some of the horrible things Klaus has done to her and her friends. It would simply be silly if Caroline was to forgive and forget so easily. So here in this fic, I aim to explore Klaus' character as a whole, the good and the bad. I'm talking slow burning, true, epic love guys! The wait will be worth it.**

**Enjoy, MJ**

As Caroline stared at the sickeningly beautiful drawing of herself overlooking the most amazing view in all of New Orleans, she had to wipe the tears from her eyes before they destroyed the evidence of yet another painful memory.

_How could I be so stupid? _The words crossed her mind at least a dozen times before she fell into a restless sleep.

Waking up bright and early at 6:00am on the dot, as always, Caroline sluggishly made her way into the shower. Her mood was so bad that the discovery of not only one, but two showerheads didn't even excite her as it usually would.

With a dejected sigh, she went about her morning routine and found that she was fully dressed and ready to go by 6:30am. Sliding on a pair of flats, she decides to take a walk around town, in search of some much needed breakfast.

Walking in the direction she and Klaus had taken last night, Caroline found nothing but constant reminders of the deceitful hybrid. She passed all the same shops they had visited, stood in the all the same places they had stopped to watch the performers, with hands entwined. It was enough to turn her off the thought of food completely.

To add insult to injury, the only place that was open at this time of the morning was Daari's restaurant. Still just as mesmerising during the day as it was at night, Caroline walked into the room with her head held high.

"Miss Forbes! How lovely to see you so soon again," Daari's gravelly voice greets her as she enters.

"Good morning Daari," Caroline manages to get out before she's embraced in another fierce hug.

"Are you waiting on Niklaus?" she says, already escorting her to the same seat as last night.

As the cogs begin to turn in her mind, Caroline can't refuse the opportunity to do a little investigating of her own. Strapping on her Nancy Drew cap, she's determined to get as much information out of Klaus' 'old friend' as possible.

"No, not yet anyway," she smiles. "But I was hoping to surprise him later on. He's letting me stay at the Mikaelson Manor just across the road, and I'd love to give him a visit and say thanks. You wouldn't know where he lives would you, Daari?"

"Of course sweetheart, it's just a couple blocks away. If you take the first left when you're out the store, then a right when you hit the convenience store, about a half mile down you'll find it. It's the nicest house on the street, you know Niklaus," she winks.

"All too well," Caroline forces a smile. "Do you see him often?" she presses further.

"Not so much these days, but I've known Klaus for many, many years Caroline and he's always there when I need him, and that's what counts really," she says looking intently at her. "Look, why don't I go get one of our infamous omelettes started for you, and we can chat some more ok. I can tell there's a lot rolling around in that pretty head of yours. A mother always knows," she winks again, and heads off without another word.

Mere minutes later, Daari returns with two plates stacked with the most delicious looking omelette Caroline had ever seen.

"My god Daari, this looks amazing!" she says appraising the plate in front of her.

"Thanks sweetie, it's our breakfast specialty." Pouring them both a glass of water, the older woman takes a seat next to Caroline. "So what's on your mind Miss Forbes," Daari says, cutting up her omelette into tiny bite-size pieces.

"A lot, too much at the moment." As Caroline's mind sifts through her long list of problems, she's almost tempted to tell Daari about everything, gold mark and all. Deciding better of it, she opts for partial honesty. "Well it's just, I have conflicting feelings about Klaus," she says looking intently at her own omelette.

"And why is that?" Daari's dark brown eyes look up.

"Well, because of who he is..." she lets the sentence hang in the air.

"I know what he is Caroline," Daari says placing her knife and fork aside. "As I said, I've known him for a very long time. And I know firsthand that he's capable of as many good things as bad. I don't want to fill your head with fairytales. I don't want to tell you that Nik is a lost soul just waiting to be saved by a pretty girl such as yourself, because he's probably never going to change Caroline. But is that really such a bad thing? I can tell he cares for you and he always looks out for those he cares about, even if he doesn't always have the best way of showing it."

"But the things I've seen him do Daari, I don't know if I could ever learn to live with that. He's completely unforgiving about who he is. While I admire him for it sometimes, I don't think I can forgive him for the things he's done."

"Well that's completely up to you now, sweetheart." She smiles sadly, taking up her knife and fork again. "Has he told you the story of how we first met?"

"No, he's not particularly forthcoming with information most of the time," Caroline growls, thinking about last night's string of events. "But please, go on," she says encouragingly.

"Many, many moons ago I was living in a small village just outside of where London is now. I was the first and only born child to my parents. We had a quiet life, the life of a peasant though tiring, was fulfilling. We didn't have half the nonsense to worry about then as we do now, things were much simpler. I was ten years old when I came home to find my parents dead at the hands of the most hideous monster I'd ever seen. It's terrifying red eyes made their way over to me and instead of running like any normal child would, I stupidly grabbed the first thing my hands landed on, which happened to be a rolling pin, and I attacked the red eyed monster. Of course, it or he I should say, plucked the rolling pin from my hands with ease and instead of killing me as he did my parents, he gave me an amused look and slung me over his shoulders and carried me out the door without even a word. The monster took me to his house and he kept me there, locked in a lavish bedroom. I was so scared that I tried to escape several times. One time I made it all the way into the forest before he found me again. Each time I made it further away, he would reward me with clothes or jewels or fine food. It was very confusing. After almost a year, I plucked up the courage to seek him out and ask him what he wanted of me. When I found him hunched over an easel with a brush in hand, he told me that I had to earn my freedom and until I did I would remain with him. Of course, I did not take well to this announcement and I tried to attack him for the second time. He merely smiled at me and slung me over his shoulder and carried me back to my room. When I asked him why me, he simply said I had the strength my parents lacked and he locked me away again. Years passed and each time I escaped, I made it further and further away from the property, but he would always be there to drag me back no matter how far I got. My 15th birthday eventually passed and the urgency to escape only increased with time. One night, I had made it as far as the neighbouring village when I ran into a group of soldiers somewhere off the beaten track. The seven of them attacked me, but I fought back. Things were different back then Caroline. People passed us and made no moves to help. It wasn't uncommon for those sorts of things to happen to an unaccompanied woman. It was by far the most horrific experience of my life, far surpassing the day I found my parents dead. I fought so hard. I know I managed to do some lasting damage to a couple of them. That day I learnt the real definition of the word monster. They left me half-dead when they were finished and I pulled myself up and crawled towards the only home I knew. Halfway through the forest I saw my salvation. Before I knew what I was doing, I found my arms reaching out for the same monster I had been trying to escape from all these years. Niklaus took me home, cleaned me up and held me while I cried. Later I found out that he had killed each and every soldier that was present that night. I never looked at him the same after that, he was so gentle with me and so caring that I began to see him in a new light. I learnt things from him. I stopped seeing him as a monster and I actually made the effort to get to know him. He taught me to read and write, he taught me to cook, he even taught me to ride a horse. When I came of age, he bought me a small property on the hills with enough livestock and workable land that I could look after myself. I lived a free and happy life, I met an amazing man and we had three beautiful children. He visited me from time to time as any friend would. I asked him one day why he had let me go and he said I earned it, that my resilience was a blessing. He said it was far easier to give up in the face of adversity, than to continue fighting. Decades later when I was on my deathbed he offered me salvation for the second time, and I gladly accepted. Now here we are centuries later, and neither of us have changed much at all."

Taking a moment to collect her jaw from the floor, Caroline lets out a small squeak. "My god Daari, I'm so sorry," she says, covering her mouth with her hands.

"It's ok young one, it all happened a very long time ago," Daari smiles.

"How did you ever bring yourself to forgive him Daari? For everything he did to you and your family? How can you see him as anything but a kidnapping murderer!" her voice raises slightly.

"Because he repented Caroline. Though he never said the words, he showed me the closest thing to love I'd experienced since my parents. Could you imagine what would have happened to me if he had just left me there, alone with two dead parents? I'd have been forced into slavery, or better yet forced to be a beggar on the streets. He gave me a home and he took care of me whether I wanted him to, or whether I was grateful for it, or not. He taught me things, he protected me, when the easiest thing for him to have done would have been to kill me or leave me for dead. I'm grateful for the many things he has given me and I've learnt to live with the things he has taken from me. The world isn't black and white, young one."

"I don't know Daari," Caroline says running a hand through her blonde locks. "I can't help but get the feeling he's lying to me half the time."

"Well I can't say much to that, I've always found Niklaus to be very upfront. I would think, if he were keeping something from you, it's for a valid reason."

"Oh, I don't know Daari. There are so many reasons why I shouldn't trust him or even be thinking about trusting him," she sighs.

"It's up to you what you decide to do Caroline. But just know, he is as good as he is bad, ok?"

"Thank you for your honestly Daari."

"No problem," she winks. "Here I'll take that," she says looking down at Caroline's half finished plate. "Looks like you have a visitor," she says glancing over her shoulder.

Following Daari's gaze, she looks over to find Klaus looking between the two, with a worried expression on his face.

"Where have you been?" he says, approaching the table. "I went to the house before, looking for you," he says taking the seat opposite her.

"Just went for a walk, I had some things to think about," she says honestly. Looking down at her watch, she's shocked to see it's already 9:30am.

"Well, we should probably get going, it's not wise to keep a witch waiting," he says, standing.

"Where are we going?"

"It's complicated," he winks at her and holding an arm out to escort her.

Reluctantly looping her arm through his, she strides side by side next to the man with a million faces.


	7. You can't always get what you want

**A/N: Hey guys, apologies this is a tad late. Good news is, I only have 3 more weeks of uni left(!) and then I'll be able to use all my hard earned spare time to work on this fic. Hooray! Double hooray TVD is back! Anywhooo, please let me know what you think.**

**Enjoy, MJ**

Heading outside, Caroline was surprised to see a regular old Jeep parked by the curb instead of Klaus' usual extravagant vehicle of choice. Raising a sceptical eyebrow, she slides into the passenger seat next to him without complaint.

"What's that look for, love?" he says teasingly.

"Just thinking how strange it is to see you inside a normal car," she replies honestly.

"We're heading somewhere off the beaten track today, so buckle up."

"We're vampires Klaus," she rolls her eyes.

"Yes, but all it takes is a tiny wooden stick to kill you sweetheart, so please buckle up," he says, deliberately waiting for her to do so.

"Ok jeez, bossy much," she complains, but straps the belt across her chest anyway. "So where are we going?"

"If I told you I'd have to kill you," he says in all seriousness.

Rolling her eyes for what felt like the hundredth time since she arrived in New Orleans, Caroline let a small giggle escape her lips.

"What is it now?" the hybrid growls.

"Who even says that anymore?"

"Says what?" he looks at her brows furrowed.

"If I told you I'd have to kill you," she imitates him with a horrible English accent. "I thought as an original, you'd be more... I don't know, original," she laughs.

"Well it's true for all intents and purposes."

"Well now you have to tell me where we're going," she says eagerly.

"No, I don't think I will," he looks at her grinning cheekily.

"Klaus, tell me please," she says sweetly.

"No, sorry love," he grins again.

"Klaus!"

"Caroline!" he says assertively.

"Klaus, tell me where we're going. Pleaseeeee," she begs, pouting slightly.

"Nope," he pops the 'p' with his lips, casually teasing her.

"Please, please, please, please, please," she continues with a bigger pout this time.

"Caroline," he growls in warning, his eyes darting down to her pink lips.

"Oh fine! You're no fun," she grumbles, turning her attention to the scenery outside her passenger side window.

Two hours later, Caroline finds herself amidst one of the most bizarre dreams she's ever had. The scene before her is unfamiliar. Looking around the small room she's aware she's never been here before. There's a crib in the corner, surrounded by piles of children's toys. Looking down to kick a plush toy out of her way, she's startled to find a very distressed looking hybrid standing before her when she looks up.

"Caroline, I need your help," he says desperately.

"Anything, what can I do?" the words fall from her mouth involuntarily.

Stepping aside, Klaus glances over at the small white window in the Nursery. Looking outside, Caroline is chilled to the bone by the sight before her. It was as if the red, fiery pits of hell were staring straight at her. The most hideous creatures she had ever seen, all came together to form the most terrifying army imaginable. Ghosts, ghouls, vampires, demons and god knows what else, came closer and closer and closer towards the second story window. Stumbling back from the window with a hand over her mouth, Caroline quivered in fear. Hearing a small cry from behind her, she turns, only to find nothing there.

"Klaus?" she says uncertainly.

Hearing nothing in return, she walks over to the crib. Inside the pale wooden frame lay the most enchanting baby boy staring back at her. Wide eyes, blue enough to melt her heart, look up at her trustingly. Hearing glass break, Caroline turns to discover the hellish army making its way in through the window. Grabbing the baby boy from his crib she cradles him in her arms protectively. Her brain tells her to flee, to escape as soon as she can. But her body seems to have something else in mind. Out of pure instinct, Caroline rips the sapphire necklace from her throat and clutches the baby boy to her chest tightly. Blinding light escapes from her entire body, bathing the room in her glow. The light penetrates the hellish army and Caroline watches as it invades them all. The light seeps into them, turning them to nothingness.

Gasping for air, Caroline's eyes snap open in alarm. A soothing hand brushes her forehead and another grips her shoulder tightly.

"Caroline," she can hear the worried hybrids voice through the haze. "It's ok, hush," he calms her.

Her breaths slow as she chokes down the fear threatening to suffocate her. "What's going on? Why are we stopped?"

"You fell asleep a couple hours ago. Was it a bad dream?" he says leaning down and looking into her eyes. His rough palms stroke the side of her face, sending shivers down her spine.

"I guess so, but not really. What a bizarre dream," she ponders aloud, making no effort to remove herself from his grasp.

"You nearly killed us both. One minute you're sleeping peacefully, next minute your ripping off your necklace, trying to blind me. I swerved right off the road and everything, it was quite dramatic," he says lightly, still looking down at her.

"Sorry," she yawns, fingers touching the necklace Klaus had to of placed back around her neck. Squirming underneath him, she finally realises the hybrid is a little too close for comfort when her chest grazes his. "Umm..." she lets the word hang in the air.

"We're nearly there," he says smugly, dipping lower so his lips brush her ear. "Try to behave, will you?" he whispers hotly to her.

"I will if you do," she glances down at his hands lingering on her.

Offering her a throaty chuckle, he moves away and back into his own seat.

Breathing a sigh of relief, she takes a moment to compose herself after that close encounter with the big bad wolf.

A minute later, they arrive outside of a secluded cabin hidden by a few select trees. Hoping out of the car, Klaus places a protective hand on her lower back as they approach the front door.

"Let me do all the talking, ok? Only speak when she questions you directly and don't stray far from me," he whispers to her.

Nodding briefly and resisting the urge to punch him in the stomach for bossing her around, Caroline watches as Klaus approaches the door ahead of her.

Without even touching it, the door opens wide and Klaus steps inside, grabbing her wrist firmly in his hands as he goes.

Keeping his grip on her tight, Klaus leads her down a flight of stairs into the basement. Stepping into the empty room, Caroline lets out a small squeal as a large rat scurries past her.

"Gwendolyn!" Klaus shouts.

The moment he does, the room transforms before Caroline's eyes. Deep red silks are draped across the ceiling and walls, vaguely reminding Caroline of Daari's restaurant. Beautifully woven throw pillows are scattered across the floor haphazardly. On a pink, plush circular couch in the centre of the room, Caroline spots a beautiful blonde perched atop a couple pillows.

"Gwendolyn, I don't have time for games today," he growls, protectively pushing Caroline behind him.

"Since when," she snorts.

Caroline is almost surprised by the pang of jealously that hits her hard.

"You will play my game if you want the prize Klaus," the blonde stranger looks at him sternly. "You want something from me and I take something from you, that is how this works."

"Choose your words wisely, seer. I don't appreciate being told what to do," he bites out.

"I am bored," Gwendolyn waves her hand at him. "I've already had this conversation and I already know the outcome. You will concede and I will talk to the girl, it has already been decided. You may be stronger than me Klaus but I am an integral part of natures balance. The world needs me in order to continue spinning on its axis. Even if I die, another me will pop up in replacement, and so on and so on until the end of time. You need not waste either of our time any longer, I will serve your purpose." Wrapping her exquisite silk kimono tightly around her delicate shoulders, she eyes Caroline curiously. "So, who might this be," she purrs.

Preparing to let the strange blonde know exactly who she is, Caroline feels Klaus' grip tighten around her wrist in warning.

"This is Caroline Forbes," he snaps.

"I know," she smiles devilishly. "Caroline Forbes, tell me what brings you here?" she beckons her over.

Stepping around Klaus, she shakes her wrist free and approaches the couch despite his disapproving stare. "I was told you might be able to help me," she says confidently.

"Brave!" the other blonde muses. "I like this one Klaus. Your hand please Caroline," Gwendolyn purrs again.

Holding her head high, Caroline offers her hand to the stranger.

Taking her hand in her palms, Gwendolyn closes her eyes for the briefest moment. Inhaling softly through her plump lips, she looks up at Caroline with wide eyes.

"What is it?" Klaus interrupts in a panicked voice.

"It's... it's..." Gwendolyn stutters, as a tear rolls down her cheek.

"WHAT!" the hybrid roars at her.

"It's amazing," she cries, pulling Caroline's hand to her cheek, making it wet with tears.

"ENOUGH!" he roars again, pulling Caroline's hand from her grip and placing an arm around the young vampire. "Tell me what you know now or I will rip your throat out before your next sob," he threatens.

"I don't know what she is, but she's something that's for sure," Gwendolyn says, wiping the tears from her face. "She is the light, she'll save us all," she mumbles.

"Well now, it's a shame you can't elaborate," he says so smoothly, it sets off alarm bells in Caroline's head.

Beating him to the punch, Caroline lunges toward Gwendolyn, just in time to push her back and out of Klaus' reach.

As Gwendolyn lets out a deafening squeal, the room changes again, and all of a sudden Caroline and Klaus are left standing alone in a regular old rat infested basement.

"Gwendolyn!" Klaus bellows in the empty room.

As her surroundings swiftly change back to the red satin décor and plush embroidered cushions. Caroline spots Gwendolyn cowering behind the circular couch.

"Klaus, don't you dare," she stands in front of him, blocking his way.

"Just trying to get some answers, love," he says innocently. "It's much more effective than hugging the answers out of her."

"It's not happening Klaus. Lets just leave, she obviously doesn't know anything."

"I-I really don't," Gwendolyn's shaking voice interrupts them.

"It's up to you, love," he continues, completely ignoring the other blonde. "There are two others on the list to see today, so we can leave now if you want. But I guarantee she knows more than she's letting on. She always does," he says looking at the quivering mess hiding behind the circular couch.

"Lets just go, someone has to know something about it," Caroline says.

"As you wish," he says, stepping aside to let her pass.

"You're much more likeable when you're not trying to kill people, you know," she smiles over her shoulder at him as she passes by him.

"Well, you can't always get what you want, love," he says placing his hand on her lower back as he catches up to her.

"Never a truer word said," she retorts, batting his hand away.


	8. The road not taken

**A/N: Hey there! So here's a little something before exam time comes around and I have to go into a study hibernation for weeks on end. The next update will most likely be a week or more away. Are you all watching the Originals, too? Though the TVD writers are dead set on destroying my klaroline hopes and fantasies, we shall prevail! A special thanks to you guys for the responses too, you all made my day, thank you.**

**Enjoy, MJ**

"Who was she, Klaus?" Caroline's curiosity gets the better of her after just ten minutes of being back on the road again.

"Gwendolyn is what she goes by now, she's a Seer," he says, keeping his eyes on the road.

"What like she's psychic or something?"

"That's a very loose comparison but you have the gist of it. She's more like _the _psychic though. She see's everything, and I mean everything; your past, your present, your future, what you had for dinner. Her talents have allowed her to see the world through a thousand eyes, inside and out. She is like a supernatural library if you wish. So you can imagine why I originally thought, and still do think, that she knows exactly what's going on," he says.

"Well lets just keep looking for now. I can't believe she's so powerful. She doesn't look a day over 17," she huffs.

"That's because she isn't."

"I'm sorry, what? Are you telling me we just tried to get potentially life changing advice from a 17 year old?" her voice begins to rise.

"Yes," he chuckles. "The body may be 17 but the soul inside is even older than me, love. Eventually when Gwendolyn's body is ready to die, another will be destined to take its place. Fate always ensures she has a body to enter. As she was saying, she is as essential to the balance of nature as good and bad. She can always see the truth," he says thoughtfully. "Though I've noticed she has a particular taste for good looking blonde females, so you had better watch out," he teases.

Unable to ignore the budding curiosity inside of her, Caroline decides to put her pride aside in order to get some answers. The same question had been burning a hole in the back of her mind since she laid eyes upon the stunning blonde Seer.

"So, like, how… familiar are you with her?" she asks, looking very intently at her own feet.

"Now now, love, I'd say green doesn't suit you, but I'd be lying," he grins at her.

Suppressing the urge to scoff at him, she waits pointedly for an answer.

"I've known her through the ages, in different forms. I've threatened her and she's threatened me. We have a functioning professional relationship, that's all, sweetheart. No need to get territorial," he winks.

Rolling her eyes again, she pushes him softly on the arm, her hand lingering just a second too long. "Oh shut up," she laughs.

"Careful, love," he looks down at her hand on his arm. "You might just give me the wrong idea," he says in a low voice.

Snatching her hand away, she looks down as the blush creeps onto her face. "Why do you always have to do that?"

"Do what, love?" he says innocently.

"Make things awkward like that," she mumbles.

"Caroline," he says reaching out and grasping her hand in his. "You know I have feelings for you. It's you who's making it awkward by not returning them, when I know for a fact that you want to," he says as he brushes a thumb across the back of her hand.

"The only feelings I have toward you right now are anger and annoyance," she spits out, trying to ignore the blissful sensation spreading through her as his thumb rubs rhythmic circles on her hand.

"I don't believe that for a second," he says confidently.

"Why is it so hard to believe? I don't like you Klaus, how could I? You're a monster! Get it through your thick head," she snaps angrily, already regretting the words before they leave her mouth.

"You don't fool me, love," he snatches her wrist to pull her closer. "I can see the blush on your cheeks already," he whispers. "If you blush so easily at a little handholding, I'd love to see what colour you turn when you're really having fun," he purrs.

"Ugh!" she exclaims, pulling her wrist from his strong grasp. Turning sharply away from him to look out the window, she has to suppress a giggle at his overt flirting. Of all the men Caroline has ever known, Klaus remains by far the most persistent. No matter the amount of times she had gone behind his back to spoil one of his diabolical plots and even tried, in vain, to kill him, he was still always there, wanting and waiting. It was a powerful force to compete with, that kind of fervent desire was difficult to fight. Especially when the person in question was smoking hot like Klaus. He wanted her, and she knew it.

While she could admit she didn't exactly dislike the attention, she wasn't sure if she ever could or ever would return his feelings. Her body certainly wanted to, she knew this by the strange pull in her stomach whenever he leaned in a bit too close, or whenever his hand grazed her skin. But her brain needed a lot more convincing.

_Was he even capable of committing himself to a fulfilling romantic relationship? _It did seem highly unlikely, given his history.

_But he was so different with her than the others. And yet he was lying to her, right this very second! Argh, the man was infuriating! _

Caroline's inner monologue had continued along the same path since touching down in New Orleans.

Though she had developed in leaps and bounds as a vampire, she was still prone to the odd neurotic episode every now and then. It was something that Klaus ignited in her frequently. She was growing tired of the constant yes and no battle when it came to the hybrid. Sooner or later, one of them would win over. Which one? She had no idea.

"What are you thinking?" his voice breaks her from her reverie.

"Err, nothing," she replies sheepishly.

"You get the most endearing little crinkle right here, when you're in deep thought," he leans towards her, hand outstretched. His thumb grazes the spot between her brows. "But it only appears when you're thinking about me. Do you know how I know that?"

"Mmm?" she says wistfully, not really listening to him.

His touch leaves a trail of fire across her forehead and she revels in the feeling.

"Because it's been there since you've arrived. Every time we're together, every time I'm next to you, every time I try to touch you, there it is. That bloody confused look. But it's my look, reserved just for me," his hand travels down the side of her face, knowing full well what it's doing to her. "I yearn for the day you realise all this confusion and questioning is pointless. You were made for me Caroline Forbes. I want you and I want all of you, every little crazy bit. Forever and always," his thumb brushes longingly across her bottom lip.

Coming to her senses, albeit rather late, Caroline pushes his hand away. "Stop that!" she demands, heart thumping. "That's enough of that," she glowers at him. "Now tell me more about the next person we're going to see. I don't want any more surprises, like the last time," she looks at him pointedly.

"The next person we're going to see isn't as flashy as Gwendolyn and certainly isn't as… all knowing. But she is dark, and she has knowledge of magic outside the normal realms. It's even more important that you stay by my side this time. Gwendolyn was neutral, but this woman is a whole other story," he says gravely.

"What's her name?"

"Immora. She's one of the only witches to dabble in expression and remain sane enough to tell the tale. Her knowledge in black magic is priceless. But bear mind that this type of magic has a cost. Don't let her catch your eyes on her and _do not_ stare at her face. Of course, you have nothing to worry about with me there," he says cockily. "But I think it best not to rock the boat. Besides, she's no good to us if I have to kill her," he adds casually.

"Oh fabulous, I can't wait. How long until we get there?" she asks, checking the time on her phone.

"About two minutes," he says, pulling off onto an old beaten track.

"Oh, just great!" she exclaims.

"Jeez, doesn't look like anyone's been out here in a while," she comments, noticing the dense green growth along the track.

"I doubt anyone without a death wish would wonder down here," he muses.

"Comforting," she huffs.

"Oh, relax, love. You're here with me, if you haven't forgotten."

"_Comforting_," she teases, giving him one of her own one sided grins.

His rumbling laugher fills the car and Caroline can't stop the smile from spreading across her face. A genuine laugh from him is something heard so few and far between.

"Come on," he says, pulling the car over in front of a surprisingly cute, older style cottage. "We're here. Don't forget what I said ok?"

"Relax Klaus, you're the big bad wolf after all."

As they wait together by the front door, Caroline feels a wave of uneasiness wash over her. Nausea grips her and she props herself up on the doorframe for support.

"Caroline, what is it?" his soothing hands are on her instantly.

"Nothing, I just feel a bit queasy," she mumbles, straightening herself after a moment.

"I'm taking you home," he declares, making a move to escort her back to the car.

"No, we've come this far, I need to know what's going on."

Before he can object, the cottage door opens to reveal a small figure draped in a dark green cloak.

Remembering what Klaus had said all too late, Caroline's eyes roamed up the older woman's body, eventually landing on the place where her face would be if it weren't for the large cloak covering it.

A mere second later, it felt as if fire was melting away the flesh on her hip. Pain radiated from her golden mark, crippling her as she stumbled over onto the floor.

Lifting up her shirt, still fully aware of the other two sets of eyes on her, she gasped when she discovered the golden squiggle had grown drastically. Now it stretched from up past her bra, all the way down her thigh. The line had tripled in thickness too, almost covering the whole side of her stomach.

Klaus' hands found her on the ground, stroking her hair as the piercing pain subsided.

Looking over to find the hunched, older woman moving to approach her, Caroline stood slowly, compelled by a new sense of confidence. No longer afraid to look, she eyed the older woman defiantly, challenging her to reveal herself.

Pulling the cloak from her face, Caroline gasped at the sight of Immora.

Black veins pulsed over what once could have been a beautiful face. They wove a pattern across her cheeks, almost reminiscent of a delicately laced spiders web. Black orbs became her eyes and a set of purple, discoloured, lips peaked to form a mischievous grin.

"My, my, my, what do we have here," her croaky voice sends shivers up Caroline's spine. "Do come in, this seems too good to miss," she cackles to herself, leaving them standing in the doorway as she heads inside.

"Are you ok? We don't have to do this now," Klaus says gently.

"I'm fine," she says with resolve. "I guess she wants us to follow her in right?"

"I think that's the plan," he laces his hand through hers. "C'mon little lion, I'll be right here," he squeezes her hand.


	9. Heart on the sleeve

**A/N: Yes! Snuck another chapter in before exams! Expect some explosions coming up in the next chapter or two, I can't wait to update next. As always, shoot me a line and let me know what you think my beloved klaroliners.**

**Love, love, love, MJ**

Swallowing the growing nausea, Caroline enters the cottage, following closely behind Klaus. Coming to a stop in the living room, the two take a seat on the lounge across from a very relaxed looking Immora.

"So please, do tell Klaus, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company today," she smiles pleasantly, leaning back against the pale pink sitting chair. Caroline couldn't help but to cringe at the unnatural sight.

The room didn't suit this woman at all. Looking as if it were the humble abode of some little old bitty, the place was decorated with pink floral wallpaper and an array of furniture ranging from cream colours through to pale pinks. It was by far the most unfortunate styled room she had ever seen. Moving an inch or three closer to Klaus on the two-seater lounge, she let her leg rest against his for reassurance.

The nausea had gotten significantly worse since walking through the front door and Caroline had no choice but to sit and deal with the uneasiness. It was a strange feeling, like something was wrong in the pit of her stomach but she didn't know what, she could feel it and it was making her physically ill.

Her mark still burned, as if it was trying to tell her something. Ignoring the thought, she instead focuses on the comforting warmth of Klaus' body next to hers.

She feels him stiffen next to her as he turns to address the witch.

"We need to ask you a few questions," he says.

"Well, by all means, ask away," she smiles, licking her purple lips.

"Caroline, show her the mark," he whispers.

Noticing her reluctance to do so, he puts a reassuring hand on her thigh. "It's fine, I promise."

Standing up, she lifts her shirt slowly, revealing the large golden mark for the second time. Crossing the distance between them with frightening speed, even for a vampire, Immora leans in to examine the mark.

"Interesting," the witch mutters, as her eyes coast over Caroline's bare side. She looks mesmerised, as she gazes at the glittering skin. "How long have you had this?"

"Maybe three weeks. It's grown a lot over the last week especially."

"So I take it the growth hasn't been consistent? Is there anything you can think over that triggers it? Perhaps something or someone you come into contact with is setting it off."

"It grew the most today, as soon as I saw you. But it's unpridictable, sometimes it grows faster, some days it doesn't at all," Caroline says slowly.

"Interesting," the witch hums again. "Are you experiencing any other side effects? Besides the growing mark?"

"There's nothing I can think of in particular," she says, racking her brain for any clue.

"That's not true," Klaus interrupts.

"What? What are you talking about?" she says almost outraged.

"When was the last time you had blood Caroline? I know for a fact you haven't had a drop since you got here. Can you think of the last time you did?"

Silence fills the room as Caroline's mind begins reeling. Thinking on it now, she can't even remember the last time the red liquid life force touched her lips. It must be over three weeks ago. She hadn't even thought about it once. How had she not noticed? And further more how did Klaus notice before she did?

"I can barely even remember. It was weeks ago. Probably around the time I first saw the mark," she says quietly.

"How do you feel? Are you satisfied without the blood?" The dark witch inquires with an eyebrow raised.

"I feel fine," besides the growing nausea, she notes. "I feel strong," she admits.

"Very, interesting. And you have no idea whatsoever, as to what may have caused this?"

"Well there is this necklace," she says uncertainly, looking to Klaus.

"Take the necklace off sweetheart," he encourages her.

"Ok... you might want to shield or eyes or something," she warns the witch.

"Wait, wh-

Before the witch can finish her sentence, Caroline reaches up to unclasp the necklace, letting it fall to the floor.

A wonderfully warm sensation fills Caroline and lets her eyes close in pleasure. Blinding light fills the room, even more intense than before and she embraces the release.

Something about the light felt different this time, she notes. It felt almost urgent, like the light was escaping with a purpose.

It felt stronger, she felt stronger, and she wasn't ashamed to admit she enjoyed the feeling. Almost in a world of her own, she didn't notice until too late the scene unfolding before her.

"Stop!" Immora lets out a hideous screech, stumbling backward, covering her eyes with a black veined hand. "Stop!" she cries, backing herself up against the wall. "Stop!" she shouts again.

Snapping out of the blissful daze, Caroline bends down, grabbing the necklace in her hand. As soon as her hand comes into contact with the pendant, the light stops, as usual.

Panting heavily, the dark witch rises, hidden once again by her dark green cloak. "What have you done?" She screeches loudly. "What have you done to me!" she cries, throwing back her cloak to reveal her face.

Caroline gasped as she took in the witch's appearance. All traces of dark magic had left her face.

Instead of seeing the blackened veins and purpled lips, Caroline instead sees an ordinary middle-aged woman standing before her. Her raven hair framed her aged face, and sea green eyes glared at them through crinkled lids.

"What have you done!" the witch screeches again, as she lunges at Caroline.

Like a flash of lighting, only quicker, Caroline watches wide-eyed as Klaus darts toward her and grabs the witch by the throat with one hand.

"How dare you!" He screams at her. "How dare you try to touch her," he squeezes her throat in his hand as she gurgles out what Caroline is sure must be an apology.

"Klaus," she stutters. "Klaus, please no," she places a hand on his bicep, silently begging him to stop.

Breathing heavily, he looks at her, bloodlust still clear in his eyes. As she gazes into his stare, she can see the change slowly happen.

His pupils return to their normal size, his breathing slows to normal, she can practically see the inner battle raging inside his head. He's fighting it, he's fighting everything he's ever been and everything he's ever known and he's doing it for her.

She watches as his gaze softens. Shame flits across his face momentarily, so quick in fact, she's not even sure if it was ever there in the first place.

He releases his hold on the witch, letting her drop to the floor in a pathetic heap. Crawling back over to his feet, the witch grabs his pant leg as she sobs.

"Just kill me!" she screams. "I can feel it, it's gone," she sobs wildly.

Visibly suppressing the urge to kick the witch away with his boot, Klaus looks down his nose at her. "It would be my absolute pleasure to end your pathetic existence," he spits.

"Do it!" she yells again. "You took my magic, I have nothing left," she sobs into her hand. "You're an abomination!" She looks up at Caroline.

"Me?" the blonde says, mouth agape. "What did I do?"

"You stole from me. You took my magic, I want it back!" she lunges at her, long fingers outstretched.

Once again, Klaus moves like lightning, grabbing the witch and restraining her in his arms.

"What did I tell you about touching her," her whispers viciously in her ear.

"What do you mean I took your magic?" Caroline approaches the witch.

"It's gone," she sobs. "I can't feel it anymore, the connection's been cut," she says. "I can't feel the hum beneath my feet, I can't feel the energy, I can't feel anything. It's just gone," she says weakly.

"And you think I did this to you?" Caroline whispers.

"Yes," she rolls her eyes. "Jesus Klaus, picked a winner? This one seems bright."

"If you want to keep your tongue I would suggest you use it wisely," he says in a low voice. "Caroline," he looks over to her. "If you want me to leave this one alive as well then we had best get going."

"Ok, just wait," she snaps impatiently. Making her way over to the witch, she's surprised when her nose detects an all too familiar scent. Leaning in for a closer sniff, she examines the witch closely. "You smell, human. That's all I can smell," she comments absently. "Your scent's changed," she says more urgently.

"Just catching on now are you dear," Immora sneers.

Caroline stills as the reality of the situation comes crashing down on her.

_I took her powers from her. _

The thought was shocking. The way Bonnie had always spoke about it, her gifts were apart of who she was. Like it was a whole other way to feel and experience the world. The thought of losing something that meaningful, something that special was just heart breaking.

Human was all Immora was now. The spicy musk of magic barely lingered in the air. Caroline had no doubt the woman before her was no more magical than her very own mother.

"Do you know what this is?" she gestures to her side, hoping to get at least a scrap of useful information before they leave.

"Never," she pauses briefly. "Never have I ever stumbled across anything with the power to do what I have seen today. Stealing power is any self serving witches dream, if there were something like this before now I would know about it."

"Well, thank you for nothing," the blonde huffs. "Enjoy the rest of your short, _human_ life," she snaps, gliding past Klaus and out the door without a glance backward.

"You heard the woman. Goodbye Immora, I hope your death is as miserable as the life you've led," Klaus says menacingly, smirking at her as he goes past.

"You would know all about that wouldn't you old one," she cackles. "If that girl ever saw your true face, she'd run for the hills. You'll never have her, she's too good and too pure for you."

"I know," he says over his shoulder, before heading out of the room.

"Is that what you really think?" Caroline's familiar voice drifts through his mind, taking him by surprise as he steps outside.

"What's that, love?" he says, in a bid to avoid her line of fire.

"Do you think I'm too good for you?"

Standing before him, innocence personified, he couldn't deny her an answer. He watched as a lock of her shiny tresses danced underneath the sunlight. He'd never seen anything so beautiful in all his years. She was so young and full of life. She was everything he wasn't and everything he'd never be- she was good.

"Unequivocally," he sighs.

"Klaus…" she pauses

"It's ok, love. Nothing needs to be said. We both know it's true," he dashes over at vampire speed to open the car door for her. "Let me take you home, I think we've had enough excitement for one day. We'll keep searching tomorrow," he finishes, still holding the door out for her.

Not knowing how to respond, she walks over silently. Brushing past him to get in the car, she looks up at him and for a fleeting moment she see's the sadness in his eyes. Closing the door as soon as she sits, Klaus is already strapped in with his foot on the gas before she even has a chance to turn around.

Frowning at her, he opens his mouth to talk.

Cutting him off, Caroline rolls her eyes at him yet again. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, buckle up, I know," she grumbles, sliding the strap over her shoulders. "We're still no closer to finding out what's happening to me you know," she sighs.

"I know. But we'll figure it out. Plus, I just know Gwendolyn knows more than she's letting on. We're not short of resources Caroline I promise you, it'll just take time. Besides we know one thing at least; that mark is much, much more than a pretty lamp."

"That's what worries me. And I leave in two day's time!"

"I promised you I would do whatever I could to help you and that wont change when you leave. I gave you my word," he looks into her eyes intently, as if proving a point.

"I trust you Klaus," she breathes. Letting the words settle on her tongue, she digests the thought. Coming to realise the significance of her own words she's rattled to discover they sit true with her.

_Oh my god. I trust him. I actually trust him._

_Have I lost my fucking mind?_

"I trust you," she whispers as her eyes widen at her greatest mistake yet.

"Caroline, are you ok?" he shakes her arm. "Your eyebrows are sitting unnaturally high on your head right now. Just relax," he calms her. "Deep breaths," he stokes her arm as she sits there motionless.

Finally taking a breath, she turns to stare blankly out the window, using the remainder of the car ride to pinpoint the exact moment the hybrid crossed enemy territory, straight through the walls of her heart.

It was time to batten down the hatches and gather her supplies; the war for her own heart had only just begun.


	10. Interview with a seer

**A/N: So guess who turned 21 and finished uni all in the same week? This girl right here! Sorry for the delay, needless to say it's been a hectic two weeks. But I'm back and here to stay. Look forward to frequent updates now I actually have some much needed free time on my hands. Also I hope you guys liked Gwendolyn, 'cause otherwise this chapter could get a bit awkward. Brace yourselves for the next couple of chapters, tomorrow's going to be a big day for one Miss Caroline Forbes.**

**Love, love, love, MJ.**

Standing under the glorious spray of water, coming from no less than two showerheads, Caroline let her mind drift back to the day that had passed.

Today had shaken her, but for reasons she just couldn't come to terms with. They had in no doubt, failed to obtain any useful information in regards to her mark. Not to mention the fact it had doubled, if not tripled in size.

So she was most puzzled to find that these two very important facts couldn't be further from her mind. No, instead she was obsessing over something else entirely.

Niklaus Mikaelson. A lot was in a name, contrary to popular belief. A name is an expression of yourself, who your family is, where you came from. Using someone's name is a facet of familiarity and in a way, personal. Caroline had never given him the respect of acknowledging his true name. To her, he was always just Klaus. Klaus the 'big bad'. The man she felt she didn't even know. The same man who had tried to kill her best friend. A monster who destroyed and ended countless lives. Heartless. Cold. Liar.

She knew all of these things, yet she couldn't stop herself from thinking about him. His heart stopping smile and his stupid little dimples came to mind. Ugh, the man was infuriating! Why couldn't he just stay the bad guy? Things could have been simple. But no, he had to go and be all charming and gentleman like, just really go and mess things up.

He was slowly breaking her resolve. He was just too kind to her and she was not coping well. Caroline wasn't some poor desperate young woman willingly to cling to any man who showed her the smallest bit of kindness. No, she would never again settle for being second. Too many times she had given her heart away to a man who didn't value her, to guys who could never put her first. There was always something they had wanted more than her. But with Niklaus, there was just something different about him that had her mind in a twist.

The way he looked at her, like no one else mattered. The way he spoke to her and listened to her, as an equal, as if her thoughts and opinions were the most important in the world. He knew what she liked and what she didn't like and most importantly- he actually cared. She felt like the centre of his universe when she was with him. It gave her an indescribable feeling.

She wanted him at times, and she hated herself for thinking so. What would her friends say? They would never understand.

Why oh why if he were capable of being so good would he choose to be the villain? It didn't have to be like this!

She pounded her fists in frustration on the beautiful cream shower tiles in front of her. He had done so many cruel and spiteful things that were simply unforgivable. A tear slid down her cheek at the impossibility of her situation.

She was in a pickle, if there ever were one.

Sighing loudly, she left the comfort of her shower and toweled off in front of the mirror. Dabbing at her golden mark, she gave another sigh at the thought of spending yet another long, confusing day with Klaus.

Slipping into her cutest set of pyjamas with little owls on them, she hopped up on the big bed and made herself comfortable. Plucking a book from her suitcase next to her, she settled in for quiet night.

"What cha got there?" a light voice startles Caroline so badly she falls off the bed in surprise.

Squealing like a 12 year-old girl, she peeks out from behind the bed to see a gorgeous blonde in the doorway.

"Skittish for a vampire aren't ya?" Gwendolyn comments casually, walking into the room. Dressed in a beautiful aubergine gown, she practically looks like royalty. Her long blonde locks were left free to brush against her lower back.

"Gwendolyn?" Caroline scratches her head in confusion. Looking down, she immediately regretted having chosen to wear the owl pajamas.

"Yes darling, just call me Gwen," she winks.

"What are you doing here?" Caroline says a little stiffly, hoping back up onto the bed.

"Well, I want to help you of course," the glamorous blonde takes an unwelcome seat on Caroline's bed.

"With what?"

"Nothing in particular, I just want to help _you_," she smiles.

"Why would _you _want to help _me_?" Caroline says sceptically.

"Hmm, how to explain this to a child," the seer ponders.

"Excuse me? I am not a child."

"Oh don't take any mind, for one as old as me, you are," Gwen smiles. "Nevertheless, you are much more than _just_ a child," she says smugly, leaning back on the bed to make herself comfortable. "And that is why I'm here."

"Wait, what?"

"You are something… different," she smiles mischievously.

"You know something about my mark don't you?" the young vampire accuses. "Ugh, is Klaus always right? It's so annoying!"

"He generally is about these things, but I'm afraid even he's out of his depth here," she grins, exposing two dimples cute enough to rival Klaus'. "When I touched you today, I saw our outcomes change. It's been many centuries since I've encountered someone with the potential to change things so drastically," she muses, picking at her perfectly manicured nails.

"Yeah, you do know I have no idea what you're talking about, right?" she says, still annoyed by Gwen's unannounced presence.

"It's quite simple Caroline. You're going to change the world. Your presence on this planet has once again shifted the axis between good and bad and altered the fate of the universe, duh," she says, pushing a golden lock of hair behind her ear.

"Me?" she says quietly.

"Yes you," Gwen rolls her eyes. "Sheesh Caroline, get with it. So I'm here to help you, with whatever you need. I'm neutral you know, just here to guide and to teach. Not that anyone listens to me anymore. But I'm sick of seeing the dark win. And I for one, much prefer this new change you've brought about. You have no idea how grisly the world's end will be without you. "

"What? How the hell I am going to make a difference to how the world ends? Gwen, tell me what's going on, I'm sick of guessing," she says, tiredly.

"You're the light Caroline, the answer to our prayers. Certain… things," she pauses as if she's rethinking what she was about to say, "have been put in motion recently and your mark is the outcome. Nature must always be in balance, you know this. Something has happened to change this. A gift was given to the dark, so one had to be given to the light. Simple as that."

Frightened by the prospects of having to face yet another ancient bloodthirsty super-force, Caroline begins picturing all the horrible possibilities. "What gift was given to that dark?"

"New life and new potential," Gwen breathes.

"_New life_," she whispers to herself, trying to grasp the meaning. "New life, with a potential for what?"

"A potential for greatness and power unmeasured. You have no idea," the seer says breathlessly. "No idea of the things I see for the future. If another path is not weaved for this new life, the world will most certainly end in fire."

"So how do we weave another path?" Caroline huffs. "Can we please stop talking in riddles?"

"Oh my god," Gwen rolls her baby blues.

For a brief moment, Caroline wonders if she evokes the same anger in others whenever she rolls her own eyes.

"It's you, you're the one who will weave another path. I can't tell you when or how, but you are going to give the dark a run for its money, I tell you!" Gwen says excitedly.

"What, or who, is this new life? You've got to give me a bit more than that. Just tell me what I am!"

"You'll find out soon enough, I promise," Gwen smirks as if she knows more than Caroline does. "Now I've nearly gone and told you too much. So enough of that!" she jumps up off of the bed and begins shamelessly snooping around the room. She turns back to Caroline after searching through a cupboard door. "So you got any snacks?"

"Yeah, probably in the kitchen," she says irately, having failed at getting what she wanted out of the seer.

Three jelly sandwiches later and Caroline was watching wide-eyed as Gwen stacked two more sandwiches on her plate and grabbed a variety of chocolates and sweets from the pantry.

"Let's go watch TV," she mumbles through a mouthful.

"Uh, sure," Caroline says, still in shock from witnessing what can only be described as the ultimate feast.

Dumping the armload of food on the floor in the living room, Gwen rifles through the shelves of DVD's next to the flat screen. "Oh!" she exclaims, grabbing one of them out, "how about Romeo and Juliet. Not particularly accurate, but Baz Luhrmann is a freaking genius," she says, already popping the disc into the player.

"Um," Caroline says at a loss for words. Just ten minutes ago she was winding down to enjoy a book in bed and now here she is with some ancient psychic about to watch Romeo and Juliet of all things. Not knowing what else to do she takes a seat on the lounge and the other blonde pops down next her with the food.

"Cheetos?" the seer offers her the open bag.

"Sure why not," she says, reaching in for one.

They began watching the film in comfortable silence. Eventually the ice was broken when they could simply no longer stop themselves from gushing over a young Leonardo DiCarprio. Overall, Caroline had to admit she enjoyed her company. It was a great girls night.

After the film they lie sprawled across the living room, chatting about this and that. They were both a fan of a Ryan Gosling, they both loved to read and dance.

Gwen was funny, and she could eat her body weight in food, how she stayed in such good shape, Caroline had no idea. Just as they got onto the heated subject of ex boyfriends, Gwen let out an unladylike snore and Caroline was left with a sleeping seer on her hands.

Brushing a dusting of cheese-flavoured powder from her cheeks, Caroline picks the blonde up and carries her up to her room.

Placing her in the bed, Caroline turns off the light and slips under the covers next to her.

"Klaus will be here early tomorrow," Gwen mumbles sleepily.

"I know," she sighs, remembering her earlier troubles, before Gwen had served as a much needed distraction.

"I can see him in your future. I know you haven't made your mind up yet, but in every possible outcome, he's always there, in your life, at some capacity."

"It doesn't surprise me, his persistence knows no boundaries," she chuckles, trying not to think about the seer's statement too deeply.

"He's a forever kind of guy. Your lucky, most girls never get one that'll stick around for even a fraction of eternity, but he'll be there for you, even if you don't want him. I see it," the blonde says sluggishly.

"What do you see?" she says, trying to keep those feelings threatening to make a break, under wraps.

Gentle snoring fills the room and Caroline's left cursing herself for being nice enough to carrying the blonde up to bed.

Why did Gwen have to go and say that? How could she possibly go to sleep now after hearing that?

After a long time had passed of staring at the white ceiling, Caroline looked at the clock to find it was 3am. Letting a profanity slip from her lips, she heads out onto the balcony for some much needed fresh air.

Was what Gwen mumbled in her sleep-induced state true? Was Klaus really going to be in her life for that long? She wasn't even sure if the thought thrilled her or frightened her more. All she knew is things were changing too fast. Her brain didn't even have time to catch up. Her thoughts didn't match her feelings and her feelings didn't match her thoughts. In Rebekah's words she had been totally mind-fucked.

Things weren't all bad though. She knew Gwen could tell her more about the mark and hopefully she could squeeze a little love advice from the woman who apparently knows it all. If she played her cards just right, she might just find out what the hybrid was hiding. She had a feeling that that little bit of information would define any potentially relationship they were going to have.

This brand new friendship may just come in handy. "Ugh," she said, disgusted at her own thoughts. "Klaus must be rubbing off on me."


	11. One step forward, two steps back

**A/N: So… next chapter is going to be a lot of fun ;) Enjoy, and let me know what you think! Since I've just discovered the wonders of the PM system, I'll even reply and everything from now on- yes I'm seriously that clueless when it comes to ff . net!**

**Love, MJ**

Gwen had taken it upon herself to make the baby vampire a big healthy breakfast. Knowing full well the tumultuous day that lay ahead for her new champion, she knew the girl needed a full stomach on today of all days. And it's not as if she wasn't half starved herself either.

Bopping around the kitchen, listening to Caroline's Ipod, Gwen whipped up a feast fit for kings. Practically dragging the sleepy vampire from her bed, Gwen sat her down at the kitchen table and placed a full plate of food in front of her.

"I know you didn't sleep well, but you can at least have a good breakfast. You're going to need it today," the seer commented casually.

"When's the cavalry coming? There's enough food here to solve the hunger crisis," Caroline stifles a yawn with the back of her hand.

"Oh shush and start eating, Klaus will be here in 27 minutes- give or take," Gwen grins.

Long after Caroline couldn't take another bite, Gwen was still sat at the table devouring the last few pieces of bacon.

"You're a machine," the baby vamp laughs, "where does it all go Gwen?"

"Klaus says it all goes straight to my head," she pokes her tongue out. "But there's nothing wrong with a woman with a healthy appetite," she says popping another grape into her mouth. "You should go get ready, he'll be here in few minutes. I'm going to disappear, but I'll find you when you're finished today," she says with almost a hint of sadness.

"Ok, thanks for breakfast Gwen," Caroline smiles, as she heads up stairs to get dressed for the day.

When Caroline made her way back down to the kitchen, Gwen was nowhere to be seen. The mess from this mornings meal was gone without a trace, as if the seer was never there in the first place.

A minute later Caroline's ears prickled at the sound of footsteps approaching the front door. Dashing over to the door at vampire speed, she opened it to find a startled looking hybrid on the other side.

"Someone's eager today," he chuckles, brushing off his surprise like a pro.

"Please, don't act like I didn't just scare ten years off your life."

"Wouldn't make a difference anyway sweetheart. Ready to go?"

"Please tell me there'll be no more evil witches today. If my mark grows any bigger, I'll be a walking lighthouse."

"You already are, love. A light to guide the way," he says wistfully, and so quietly, Caroline isn't sure if she was even meant to hear it.

Four long hours later and Caroline was struggling to stay awake against the gentle rocking motion of the car. She had long ago ceased paying attention to where they were headed and was now focused solely on keeping her eyes open.

"Tired, love?"

"Mmmph," she sighs.

"Up all night thinking me?" he winks.

"You are so full of yourself," she says through a giggle.

"Would you have me any other way?" he grins sheepishly.

Reluctantly, she finds herself agreeing with him.

Looking at Klaus now, with those maddeningly adorable dimples on display, it was easy to forget the fact he was a cold-blooded killer. Her habit of constantly forgetting this very important piece of information scared the daylight ring right off of her. Because she knew for a fact he was full of three things: bullshit, lies and secrets.

One secret in particular was at the forefront of her mind.

_Who is the mystery woman on the phone?_

Encouraged by his playful mood, she decides to just come out and ask him.

"Klaus?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Who was that girl on the phone, the night of our… date?" She watches intently as his eyes briefly flicker yellow, almost in warning.

"Just someone that works for me."

"When I rang you, back in Virginia, I know I heard the same woman in the background," she says adamantly, not caring in the slightest if she sounds like a jealous girlfriend.

"Like I said, she works for me, it's not uncommon."

"Klaus, look at me!" she demands, and he whips his head up in surprise at the sound. "I am not a fool! I heard the way she spoke to you. Demanding that you come, you'd never allow anyone to talk to you like that and we both know it. Do not insult my intelligence," she growls.

"I mean it, love. She means nothing to me. Nothing more than an employee," he says, brows still raised in shock.

"I'll find out. I always find out," she threatens.

"I know," he sighs. Frowning slightly, he diverts his attention back to the road. "We're here," he says simply.

They pull up in front of a quaint two-story house.

"This shouldn't take long," he says to her. "The man who lives here, his name is James Guthrow. He is a descendent of the woman who used to own that curious necklace you're wearing."

"Oh," her eyes widen in realisation.

"Don't worry, love. I'm just going to compel him, see if the sight of his long-gone relative's jewelry jogs any memories. Things like this," he reaches out and brushes the necklace against her chest with his fingertips, "tend to stay in the family. It's obviously magic, I'll bet he knows something."

Hoping out of the car and approaching the front door with caution, Caroline found the action was becoming all too familiar.

After three loud knocks, Caroline could hear heavy footsteps making their way toward them.

The door swings open to reveal a cute 20-something-year-old guy. Flicking his blonde locks from his face, he eyes Caroline appreciatively.

"Well today must be my lucky day," the boy grins. "Who might you be?" he says, barely even noticing the furious hybrid also stood before him.

"Amusing," Klaus growls. Caroline watches as his pupils dilate, "invite us in."

"Come in," the boy obeys, in that terrible robotic voice all compelled humans have.

Once they're inside, Klaus wastes no time. "Speak to Caroline again, and I'll have your tongue."

Caroline rolls her eyes as the blonde boy nods absently.

"Come here," he instructs as the boy ambles over. "Have you ever seen this before?" Klaus points to the necklace now exposed, as Caroline pulls her hair back.

"I've seen it in a book. One of my families dusty old books, it's still in the attic."

"And what do you know about this necklace?" Klaus interrogates.

"That it belonged to someone in my family and it was lost a long time ago. There are stories about it, but I never paid enough attention. It was just tale they told us when we were little. I can barely remember. Something about a girl and a light, I don't know."

"Think harder!"

"I-I don't know."

"Klaus, he doesn't know anything or he would have told you already!" she scorns. "Tell me where the books are," she says, gaze penetrating the boys weakened mind.

"In the attic, stairs are in the hall."

"Thank you, James," she says kindly. "See, you don't always have to be such a meanie," she pokes her tongue out at the brooding hybrid.

Two dusty cardboard boxes later and Caroline has every book that could possibly hold the answer to her current 100-watt problem.

"Forget we were here," Klaus mutters to James as they leave. "You won't even think about your families books for another month. After that month you'll come up here just to check, and find them all exactly where you left them."

Together the pair leaves in silence, for once with more information than what they started with.

All too eager to get to the bottom of what should be her most pressing problem, Caroline wastes no time on flicking through the books. Her brows knit together as her eyes roam over the random scribblings on the page.

"Ugh, why are these things never written in English anymore! What's wrong with good old fashion English," she complains.

"It's Akkadian. Not to worry, I'll help you decipher it," he smiles, secretly thrilled at the prospects of spending some more one on one time with Caroline.

"Oh, just great," she sighs, thinking the complete opposite.

Struggling to keep her eyes open the whole long, car ride home, Caroline breathes a sigh of relief when the pair finally reaches the Mikaelson Manor, around mid afternoon.

"How about I bring dinner and we can work on these tonight," he says, helping her inside with the boxes.

"Sure, you know where to find me."

Clasping a lock of stray hair between his fingers, he brushes the strands tenderly behind her ear. "See you tonight," he whispers, and disappears without a trace in an instant.

"Spooky," she mutters, looking around the empty living area.

Putting the boxes out of sight and out of mind for now, Caroline decides to do a little more exploring. Stepping out into the humid NOLA air once again, Caroline finds herself dawdling out the front of Daari's restaurant.

Remembering her earlier discussion with the wise older woman, she begins to conjure plan.

_Take the first left when you're out of the store, then a right when you hit the convenience store, about a half mile down you'll find it._

The instructions were simple enough and Caroline had made sure to remember them. Hopefully Klaus didn't mind having visitors, she thought cheekily.

As she steadily makes her way towards the hybrid's house, Caroline tries to prepare herself for what might lay ahead.

_Maybe he does have girlfriend. What if she's there, at his house? What if she's prettier than me?_

Scolding herself for that particularly shallow thought, Caroline comes to a stop in front of a beautifully regal home. Obviously inspired by the plantation style mansions that lie further out of the city, the home was breathtaking.

Huge wrought iron gates blocked the driveway. A giant M was woven into the elaborate design; alleviating all fears that Caroline was at the wrong property.

Caroline easily climbed over the gates. Silently making her way up the gravel drive, she heads towards the lawn in an attempt to avoid the light crunching noises coming from beneath her feet.

Avoiding the front balcony, she instead creeps around the side of the house, making her way to the back of the house. Peeking in through the window, she can see the full layout of the kitchen and dining area.

Seeing no one inside, she continues on her way, making it to the back door undetected. Crouching down, so no one can see her through the clear glass door panels, she takes a peek to see if the coast is clear. Unable to get a decent view, Caroline decides to take a risk.

Standing tall, she cups the side of her hands on the glass and peeks through the glass panel.

What she sees inside takes her breath away.

She instantly locks eyes with a familiar set of green orbs. As the realisation dawns on the brunette standing in the hallways, she raises a curious, but not startled brow.

"Hayley?" Caroline says quietly, trying desperately to fit all the pieces of the puzzle together.

Before the wolf has a chance to reply, the two are interrupted by the distinct sound of an infant cry.

Caroline watches in horror as Hayley leisurely strolls over the cradle not too far from the kitchen and lifts the child into her arms. She catches a glimpse of him. A thin dusting of pale blonde hair covers his small head. As Hayley shifts him from one shoulder to the other Caroline catches a glimpse of those big, trusting blue eyes.

That hair and those eyes, they're just so familiar. She's looked into those eyes over and over again; she'd know them anywhere. It couldn't be.

_No. No. No. No. No. What. No._

Just like that, the pieces of the puzzle come together one by one. The more the pieces fit together, the more her heart begins to break.

The dream, the annoying phone calls, the mystery woman. Caroline should have known this was about more than _just _another woman.

_This is impossible. Unbelievable._

The rage flares inside Caroline and she can't contain it.

_That lying, good for nothing son of a bitch! _

"Arghhhhh!" she lets out a deafening roar. The back door flings open with crack and Caroline's vision turns to red.


	12. Baby, you're no good

**A/N: Hey guys! So sorry I never PM'd anyone, it's just so late (2am here) and I wanted so desperately just to get this chapter up. So I hope you'll settle for a few shout outs! Thank you to: Teamvampirebarbie22, tvfanpam, KimOfDrac and Safy Pouncer for reviewing last chapter. And a special thanks to: Hellzz-on-Earth, KlarolineAlways, sandiw1875, Ellavm18, ferrylis, ladyluck25, ellerose77, justine, dhh and KlarolineMyMockingjay for being kickass regular chapter reviewers. You da best! Replies all round this time, promise ;)**

**Love, from one very tired Em**

Klaus was hauled up in his study trying to sort out yet another potential hitch in his plan for total domination of NOLA, when he heard the sound he had been dreading since his Caroline had arrived.

"Argh!"

The yell was accompanied with a series of muffled noises, indicating his moment of doom had arrived.

He knew the shrill cry was Caroline, her voice was permanently imprinted in his brain, he'd known it was her the second he heard it. Making his way down stairs, he stealthily made his way down to the kitchen, in an attempt to gage the magnitude of said problem. As he peeked out from behind the wall, the sight he saw stole his breath.

Caroline was there, standing in the doorway, looking enraged. The air crackled around her and her hair billowed in the breeze around her face, making her look the craziest he had ever seen her. She was absolutely beautiful.

He watched with bated breath as she stalked toward a bored looking Hayley. The brunette casually placed his heir safely back into his crib and stood tall as the menacing baby vampire approached her.

"What are you doing here," Caroline growled. If he were not in fact both an original vampire and the first ever hybrid, he would have been quaking in his own boots. The look on Caroline's face was terrifying. He had never seen her this way before and he was sick enough to admit it thrilled him in all the right places.

"I was just about to ask you the same thing. I live here, what's your excuse?" Hayley replied casually. He may not particularly like the brunette but he had to admire her courage in this particular situation. Hayley might be a wolf, but Caroline was a vampire and one with a hidden glittering weapon at that. Not that Hayley knew anything about that though.

"You live here? With Klaus?" the blonde frowns slightly as the telltale signs of hurt cross her face, giving Hayley all the ammunition she needs.

"Yes, I do. It's just me, him and _our _son," she grins at Caroline evilly, "it's funny you know, Klaus didn't even mention you were here."

"Your son?" Caroline chokes.

"That's right Barbie, our son," Hayley smirks. "What did you think would happen when you came here? That Klaus would fall in love with you and you two would ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after? Please, you were never enough for Tyler and you'll never be enough for Klaus either. As if he'd ever want you, some pathetic, small-town teenage girl."

Judging by the look on Caroline's face, that particular comment had struck a nerve and Hayley grinned triumphantly. Klaus watched as the hurt disappeared from Caroline's face, only to be replaced with something much more sinister.

He watched with interest as the baby vampire silently raised her hand in the air, palm out and aimed directly at Hayley. A chill ran up his spine as he could physically feel the atmosphere of the room change.

Just as he was about to make his presence known in a feeble attempt to stop a fight between the two, a blinding light shot straight out of Caroline's palm, hitting Hayley square in the chest. The brunette flew across the room, the light blasting her with enough force to put a Hayley sized dent in his drywall. He had to shut his jaw, he'd never seen her do this before. He wondered briefly about how powerful Caroline's new 'light' was becoming, before he snapped himself back to the real life events unfolding before him.

As soon as the light dissipated, Klaus watched as Caroline flung a hand across her mouth in shock. Judging by the shocked look on her face, she'd obviously never used her new power this way before.

He was even more surprised when the blonde dashed over to Hayley, her pale limbs flying about in a panic as she checked the wolf's pulse and made sure she was breathing. Hayley slowly began to stir, and Caroline stood, satisfied that no real damage was done. He was amazed at his Caroline, after all the sly brunette had said to her, she was still worried she had actually hurt the girl. But that was her all over- she was good, the definition of good in fact.

Caroline let out a gentle sob, and Klaus had gripped the wall to prevent himself from going to comfort the girl. He had caused her this pain and his presence would only make things worse.

He had messed everything up. She would never forgive him, how could she.

He lied to her. He didn't deserve her. He never would.

He watched as his angel left in daze, tears streaming down her face.

* * *

Caroline stumbled down the gravel path, with tears clouding her vision. Clumsily, she climbed over the gates and willed her legs to carry her all the way home.

When she made it back to the Mikaelson Manor, she could barely remember how she got there, the walk home was a lost memory trapped inside her frazzled brain.

Mechanically, she took off her shoes and stripped off her jeans. She crawled under the covers of her bed and began to sob.

_A baby? With Hayley?_

She had never even considered the possibility, because as far as she knew, vampires couldn't procreate. But what did she know? Nothing obviously.

She wasn't sure what made her anger flare more; the fact that he had lied to her all this time, or the fact that the 'other woman' was all the women in the in the world, why did it have to be her? This was twice now. She was always there, fucking up her pathetic love life in anyway she could.

There was no doubt she hated the wolf, but it had scared Caroline, seeing the girl's body thrown across the room by her own light. In that moment she had lost control and some sort of foreign instinct had taken over. She felt the rage building. Her body told her what to do. When she raised her hand to Hayley, she had no idea what was going to happen, and boy did it take her by surprise.

She couldn't believe it. So far she had seen her light do some crazy things. She could rob a witch of her powers and knock a werewolf unconscious with a blast of light. She absently wondered what else she was capable of.

Perhaps she possessed the power to blast Klaus back to whatever miserable time he came from.

She knew all along she shouldn't trust him and he'd gone and proved that sentiment right.

She wasn't even sure he ever planned to actually tell her. It hurt her beyond belief that he had lied so blatantly. She may have even understood, but he'd never get the chance to find out now.

_A baby. Wow._

The idea of Klaus changing diapers and waking up at the crack of dawn for feeding time seemed ridiculous. The strange thing was, even though the idea seemed so alien, she could actually picture it. If he could put aside his selfish bids for more power, she could see him being an excellent provider.

He was protective, but not overbearing, and he was capable of caring deeply. Not that many ever saw that side to him, but she knew it was there.

Maybe this child would motivate him to be better and do better. She sure hoped so.

Because she certainly wouldn't be around to see it. She was on the next plane out of here. There was only so much of being doormat a girl could take. No more lies and second place trophies, she had made a promise to herself and she was determined to keep it.

No, instead she summed up all of her feelings for him and put it down to pure attraction. Yes, he was incredibly good looking so of course she wanted him. Just like when she had laid eyes on Stefan for the first time. He was hot, so she wanted him, that was all there was too it. Though she had grown a lot since then, she could still be prone to that sort of behaviour right? It would all make sense then. That was all it was, she comforted herself. Just attraction, that was all it was, and now it's all it'll ever be. No, she couldn't fall in love with someone like that. She wasn't falling for him, it was just his hot bod she wanted. Yes that was it; she didn't really care for him. For a second she nearly had herself convinced.

With her head held high, Caroline Forbes began packing her bags.

* * *

"Hayley," Klaus, nudged the girl with his foot.

Hearing her vague, mumbled reply, he went to fetch his son. He tenderly lifted little Hector into his arms. A fitting name for such a child as his, he thought. Cradling the baby, he leisurely walked back over to where Hayley was beginning to rise.

"What happened?" she says, speech slightly slurred.

"Caroline came over, you insulted her, and she knocked you out."

Panic struck Hayley as her senses began to return. She sniffed at the air around her, and smelt… nothing. She sniffed, faster now, in a panic.

Klaus looked down at her oddly. "What are you doing?"

"I-I can't smell anything," she stutters. Clicking her fingers next to her ear, it looks as if she's about to cry. "I can't hear as well. It's not right." Taking a deep breath, Hayley calls upon her wolf, encouraging her to break free. But all she finds is nothing. No response. No wolf. Where had her wolf gone? "Oh my god," she cries.

"What?" the hybrid snaps impatiently. The only person he tolerates nonsense from is Caroline, and it's not like he'll have the pleasure of ever doing that again.

"My wolf is gone," a single tear streaks down her cheek at the realisation. Wiping it away promptly, Hayley sniffs a couple more times and then stands up with her shoulders squared. "I don't know what your little girlfriend did Klaus, but you had better figure it out and fix it fast."

"Or else what," he sneers. No one tells Klaus Mikaelson what to do.

"Or else nothing, Klaus. I'm your child's mother, you will do this for me," she says confidently. "I feel so empty," she mumbles. She frowns slightly, hating having revealed such a personal thought to him.

"I'll see what I can do, but she's never going to talk to me you know," he says sadly.

"People like you and me, don't end up with people like Caroline and Tyler," she says looking intently at her own feet. "People like you and me, end up alone. There will never be anyone for us, we'll die miserable and alone and no one will care. Because that's what we deserve."

Klaus watches as the young girl robotically makes her way up stairs. He may not like her, but at least he could understand her. Her pain was something he knew well.

* * *

Caroline had her bags packed and ready to go in no time. Just as she was about to make a couple calls to see if she could catch a flight out of NOLA tonight, a clinking noise coming from the kitchen caught her attention.

When she made her way down to the kitchen, she nearly dropped her phone when she saw Gwen standing there, her arms full of packaged foods.

"Hey girlfriend!" Gwen says happily from behind the mountain of food.

"What on Earth are you doing?" Caroline giggles.

"Just grabbing some snacks for the ride home."

"Sorry, what?"

"Well, we are going back to Virginia aren't we? Pretty sure I saw that right," she taps her head with a wink.

"What do you mean we?"

"I mean you and me, say hello to your new roomie!" she smiles.

"Yeah, I'm still not following," Caroline says, scratching her head to reinforce the point.

"I'm coming with you idiot! I've always loved Virginia, so beautiful and peaceful," she sighs, heading out of the kitchen with the food.

"Have you ever actually been? I assure you, it's anything but peaceful. More like a supernatural hotspot." Caroline follows her right out of the front door and watches as the seer throws the selection of snacks in the passenger side of bright pink convertible.

"Go grab your bags, and get your butt down here. It's time to blow this popsicle stand," Gwen says, sliding a pair of pink Ray-Ban's on with swagger.

Caroline contemplated turning the seer down, but decided in the end to just go with it. She did genuinely like the girl and maybe this was just the distraction she needed. In a spur of the moment decision, Caroline grabbed her bags and locked the doors to the Mikaelson Manor. She headed over to car and dumped her bags in the back.

"Are you ready Miss Forbes?" Gwen smirks.

"Ready for anything."

"Good, you may want to keep that attitude up in the coming weeks," she grins, speeding away, giving Caroline little time to dwell as she silently says her goodbyes.

**A/N: I'm sure most of you are aware, but Hector was basically the champion of Troy during the Trojan War. I feel like Klaus is pig-headed enough to name his child this- am I right, or am I right? :)**


End file.
